


Barely Breathing

by arcanalalune



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-19 04:54:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19349887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arcanalalune/pseuds/arcanalalune
Summary: It's Mishima and Akira's first Valentine's Day together as a couple but it does not go as expected.





	Barely Breathing

Snowflakes swirled around in the cold February air as Akira and Mishima were walking home from school together. Akira had his hands in his coat pockets while Mishima was holding onto his arm, going on about an interaction he had with a user on the Phan-site.

“So, what did you say next?” Akira asked, interested and amused with Mishima’s rambling.

Mishima scoffed. “I told him that it’s a forum for the Phantom Thieves, not a place for advertising! Oh, and you won’t believe what he said next!”

The frizzy-haired boy nodded as his boyfriend continued with his rant. Before long, the pair made it to the train station where they would be taking separate trains home. Mishima stopped short and slowly released his hold around Akira’s arm. “Ah, I guess I’ll let you go. I’ll call you later?”

Akira frowned. “Why don’t you stop by my place and finish telling me about this guy?”

Mishima’s eyes lit up. “Okay! Do you think Sakura-san will mind?”

"Yuuki, we’re dating now. If he doesn’t let me have my boyfriend over, then we’ll have a problem.”

“Oh! You’re such a rebel, Akira.” Mishima teased playfully. Quickly, though, his smile turned into a frown. “I wish he wasn’t making you work tomorrow, though… It’s Valentine’s Day… Our first one together, too…”

Akira tensed up a bit. “Yeah. I know. I’m sorry about that.”

“You don’t need to be sorry! It’s not your fault. At least we get to spend time together right now!”

He nodded and took Mishima’s hand in his, intertwining their fingers.

The couple took the train to the Yongen-Jaya station and walked hand-in-hand to Leblanc. Akira led him inside and gave a quick wave to Sojiro.

“Back already?” Sojiro asked as his gaze shifted to see Akira holding hands with Mishima still. “Ah. Having a date night here?”

Mishima blushed and turned to Akira, who chuckled. “We’re just gonna hang out upstairs.”

Sojiro gave a quick nod as Akira led Mishima up to his room. The taller boy set his bag down on a table, and Morgana hopped out the bag. He shook his fur out and then promptly jumped on the bed. Akira followed, dragging Mishima to sit on the bed with him. Slowly, he put a finger underneath Mishima’s chin and gently turned his head to face him, leaning in for a soft kiss.

Mishima kissed back when his phone went off. “Ah!” He pulled out his phone. “Sorry…”

Akira pouted and got behind Mishima, putting his arms around him and resting his head on the smaller boy’s shoulder, looking at his phone screen. Mishima was scrolling through his notifications as Akira turned and softly kissed his boyfriend’s neck.

Being incredibly sensitive and ticklish, he giggled and set his phone down and kissed Akira on the lips. “Sorry.” He bit his lip. “You’ve got my full attention right now.”

Akira nodded. “No different from usual.”

“Hey!” Mishima replied defensively. “It’s not like I’m obsessed with you or anything. I just…”

“I know, I know.” He smiled. “I love you, too, Yuuki.” As he leaned in to kiss his boyfriend more, Mishima closed his eyes and held onto Akira, feeling totally safe.

**xxxxx**

The next day, Mishima took the train to Harujuku in search of the perfect Valentine’s chocolates for his sweetheart. Although Akira was busy working, that didn’t mean that he couldn’t have his boyfriend visit. Mishima figured he could just go to Leblanc for some coffee, and if he was a paying customer, then Sojiro shouldn’t have a problem with it.

After settling on a heart-shaped box with a dozen chocolates, he made the trek all the way back to Leblanc. He spent so much time looking for the right box that the sun had already set, and it was dark out. Akira told him he’d be working late, however, so he’d at least get to spend some time with him.

Mishima happily started walking around the backstreets of Yongen to the front of Leblanc. He reached for the door handle when he noticed that the lights in the attic were on. “Hmm?” He hesitated briefly, moving his hand away from the door and took a step back, looking through the window to the attic.

The view into the window wasn’t the best, but Mishima was able to make out two figures. His stomach dropped. _It can’t be…_ he thought to himself. He squinted and saw the silhouettes of two people very close to each other, eventually being able to tell that one of them belonged to Akira. Akira’s silhouette leaned over to the other and kissed them slowly and deeply. The chocolates that Mishima was holding fell to the ground as tears started forming in his eyes. He shut his eyes tight, keeping himself from becoming overwhelmed with emotion and ran off towards the station, trying to leave as fast as his feet would carry him.

Once he got home and into his bedroom, the tears and emotions that he had been holding back finally all rushed out. He fell onto his bed and hugged onto his pillow tightly, sobbing into it. Every time he’d start to feel calmer, a new thought would pop into his head and he’d become emotional all over again. A million thoughts swirled around his mind as he cried. _Why wasn’t I enough? Why did he lie to me? He doesn’t really love me._

Hours had passed and Mishima felt exhausted and got a headache from crying so much. He took a few deep breaths before picking up his phone. He unlocked it and swiped until he opened his texts between him and Akira.

 **Yuuki:** Happy Valentine’s Day.

The minutes of waiting that followed felt like agony. He simply stared at his phone, waiting for it to buzz. Eventually, he got a response.

Mishima wasn’t sure what he was expecting to hear from Akira, but the text didn’t make him feel any better. He felt like he was talking to a stranger. His heart felt heavy. After a deep breath, he sent him a text back.

 **Yuuki:** Get some rest. We can talk at school tomorrow morning.

 **Yuuki:** I love you.

 **Akira:** I love you, too.

Those words felt like daggers in his heart. He threw his phone away from him and curled up on his bed, his own sobs lulling him to sleep.

**xxxxx**

The next morning, Akira was waiting in the courtyard on a bench for Mishima as he always did. The two would talk before class began, and then they’d walk to class together. Today, however, Akira was waiting a little longer than usual. Finally, a worn out Mishima approached Akira. He sat down slowly and calmly.

"Hey…” Akira greeted, a little uneasy. “You seem kind of out of it this morning. Did you get any sleep?”

“Not really.”

Mishima’s blunt and somewhat angry tone took Akira aback. “I keep telling you not to work so hard on that Phan-site.” Akira reached for Mishima’s hand gently but Mishima snatched it away from him. “Hm?”

“I wasn’t working on the Phan-site.”

“Oh.” He frowned. “Nightmares again?”

Mishima shook his head. “N-No…” His breath started to get shaky and the composure he was trying to keep in front of Akira was quickly crumbling.

“Then what’s wrong?”

Tears began to slide down Mishima’s cheeks as he clenched his fist and looked away from his boyfriend. “I saw you…”

“Huh?” Akira asked, knowing full well what Mishima was talking about.

w“You… you left your lights on and… I saw you.” He chuckled pathetically. “I stopped by Leblanc to… to surprise you… I brought you… chocolates.”

“Yuuki…” Akira reached to touch Mishima, but he quickly turned away.

“No. Don’t.” He sighed deeply. “How… How could you…?”

“I… I don’t know what to say.”

Mishima scoffed. “Of course not.”

Akira sighed, not ready to lose Mishima but also knowing that there was nothing he could say in this situation to make things better. “I’m sorry.”

“That’s all you have to say?” Silence. “Fine…” Mishima stood up and looked down at Akira while trying to contain his tears. “I hope you two will be very happy together…”

“Yuuki, no!” Akira stood up, wanting more than anything to just embrace Mishima but he didn’t want to push it. “She means nothing to me.”

“She…” Mishima repeated. “Well… it doesn’t matter.”

“Yuuki, please, I…”

“Just shut up!” He shouted. “There’s nothing you can say so just… don’t.”

Akira nodded slowly. “I’m so sorry.”

“I know.” Mishima looked down at the ground, heart heavy. “I’ll… I’ll see you in class.” Mishima walked away, leaving Akira alone. Akira took off his glasses and wiped away his tears, watching as Mishima left.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was very much me trying to find some catharsis but I hope it was enjoyable nonetheless. Let me know what you think! I'll try to write something more fluffy for these two another time.


End file.
